Morning journal and courier., 1887-08-26
TWENTYFIFTH ANNIVERSARY

NEW
able Occasion Deeply Interesting TO
the Assembled Veterans-A Scene OF
JoIlity MT the Dinner Many From
other States Present-Rusfness Done
Colonel White Tells OF the Battle of
Kinston-An Interesting and Valu-
able Paper.
The Fifteenth regiment, Connecticut Vol
unteers, held their annual reunion in New
Haven yesterday and celebrated the twenty
fifth anniversary of the regiments muster
into the service Of their country. 1t was a
memorable reunion. Those who had the
pleasure to be present could hardly express
the joy or conceal the emotion that they
experienced in thus coming together twenty
| five years since they first enlisted, time
when most all of them were very young in
| years. Many were the heads now silver OF
gray and many are the faces of comrades
gone from earth forever. But the scene OF
the reunion was gay one. 1t was lively
/ and enthusiastic one, too. The old veterans
met one another in the morning and there
was much of handshaking and pleasant greet
| ings.
| 10 say that the reunion was success Is no
| more than true, but to state that it was q
grand success in every way-the grandest
| that the regiment mas ever uSu-Woulo pe
\ equally correct.
| There were present about one hundred and
ninety members, more than were expected.
| The regiment has held reunions previous to
| this time when there was larger attendance,
but those were the times when the families
| of the veterans came along, too. But this
i time only the solid phalanx of the regiment
| was present. The members fitted about in
| social converse with blue badges futtering
| from their coats, showing that they belonged
| to the gallant Fifteenth.
The business meeting was first attended to
| for, as the saying goes, business comes be-
| fore pleasure The veterans met in the
Atheneum, where the Red Men are wont to
revel in dances and war paint. Col. Samuel
| Tolles, of New Haven, called the meeting to
| order. The Columbia band of Brsnford, %
pieces, engaged for the occasion, struck up
| with an inspiring selection.
| Rev. DIR. D. Henry Miller, of Norwich, Of
| fered prayer.
The address of welcome was delivered by
/ Col Tolles as follows:
| ut gives me pleasure to welcome you this &C.
| casion-the twentieth anniversary of our organi-
cation veterans and the twenty-ffth anniversary
of our into the service of country TWEEN
ty five years ago every patriotic heart throughout
intense anxiety for the safety and welfare of this
| republic s...,.,,. 1900.
Its armed hosts, flushed with victory, were facing
us with defiant front. The call which had been
ing crisis was most heartily responded to by every
town and village in the State.
Recruiting was the order of the day. Men were
leaving the pleasant avocatons of lfe's calling to
engage in deadly strife with determination to
can heart, free and undivided country. The FIT
teenth, which, under the auspices of the patriotic
citizens OF New Haven, had been for some six
weeks recruiting, filled togts maximum number
ready to march to its post of duty.
old comrades from different parts of the country
here today-the living representatives of that body
to perform their part in the great drama which
forms SO eventful page in our country's history.
life of your three years service to renew the friend
ships then formed, and to drop a tear to The mem
whose names are registered in the unknown world.
''And in behalf of the veterans of our organiza-
cordial welcome and soldiers greeting Hoping
that you all may enjoy yourselves and that the fes
tivities of the day may strengthen the bands of
friendship that binds us together comrades of the
old Fifteenth.
Colonel Tolles' remarks were received with
applause.
mating committee of five having brought in
their names: President, Sergeant William G.
Beecher of (Westville) New Haven; vice pres
ident, Lieutenant Philip G.. Rand, Meriden;
secretary and treasurer, Walter w. Lord New
Haven; historian, George NJ. White, New
Haven; chaplain, Rev. d. Henry Miller, D.
D., Norwich, Conn.
After a discussion it was voted to hold the
reunion in Meriden, and the following COM
mittee on arrangements was appointed: Will
liam Catlin, Julius Augur, w. S. Gallagher,
Fred Highly and Fred Carter.
This ended the business end of the pro-
gramme, and an adjournment was then made
to LOOMS Temple of Music, where the grand
treat of the day was in store for the veterans.
The dinner was given by the New Haven
members, and they took the outsiders all
beneath their wing and saw to it that they
were well fed and had good time. There
were SO many more present than were ex-
pected that second table had to be set to
curb the hunger of those who could not
get a seat at the first tables. There
were three long tables, extending the entire
length of LOOMS Hall, at the Orange street
end of which was a table at right angles with
the others, where sat all the notables of the
occasion. The tables were heavily laden
with many delicacies provided in Deibel's
best style, a corps of colored walters in at
tendance. 1t was three o'clock by the time
President-elect Beecher, acting as chairman,
called the assemblage to order. He wanted
the doors locked, as he thought some of the
members had forgotten that there was yet
more to follow and were leaving.
He announced that a chapter of the regi-
ments history would be read. 1t was com
piled by Colonel George N. White, who was
unable to be present, but although Colonel
Whites absence was regretted, yet that would
v,
Captain Frank Ii. Lovejoy was then intro
duced. He read as follows:
K1NsroN.
Early in January, 1865, it became apparent
to the Union troops stationed in North Caro-.
lima that the immediate future had something
more in store for them to do than holding
disused port of entry disabled from blockade
running, acting as provost guard or going on
those nasty little risky but non glorious cot
la intn ho
We became gradually convinced that when we
went into the interior next we went to carry
the flag, and carry it there to stay.
Many happenings had, in the last few
months, all been tending to bring us to this l
conclusion. Grant had been holding Lee in |
and around Richmond, utterly powerless,
except for the merest self-defence, until we /
knew that never again would force be de- /
tached from that then under his command to 4
capture or even scare a southern town in 4
Union hands. Terry had followed close on
he heels of Butler on the coast below us and l
1t the very moment while Butler was explain
ng to Congress the impossibility of doing L
anything south of Hatteras Inlet, had actual |
y captured Fort Fisher and effectively |
Iealed the port of Wilmington to the south |
If us; and Sherman-grand old William
almost ffworked himself out |
# a job" by disemboweling the Confederacy,
eaving it absolutely nothing to cling to |
$1,000 "a SC%
,he field, under Lee and Johnston; and leav-
ng to those two armies SO small field that |
heir only possible hope was to consolidate |
nto one somewhere and begin a new cam |
oaign.
Where would they consolidated Would |
lee remain in Richmond and Johnston |
trive to unite with him? Or would /
Johnston open one of the closed ports
possibly Newberne, and hold position where
Lee could join him!
In either case land this was a case which l
Ulcers lin the volunteers discussed only in an
while the rank and file discussed
everywhere we were sure to have lively |
lines in North Carolina.
And we had them. We were not mistaken |
n divining that a part of these s1ively
lines" would fall to our portion whose lot
was to operate from the base of Newberpe |
Indications were soon seen that western |
roops, foot-loose in their old fields, were |
likely to touch elbows with us in future |
marches.
About the middle of January the entire
twenty third army corps, under Scho6eld, |
anded near Fort Fisher and after lively work |
here on the line which Terry had marked |
ut, resulting in the capture of Wilmington
N February 22d, five thousand of this force,
ndef General T. d Gov etartad vio Move 1